Articles About The Science Of Astronomy
Visit Our Online Store.
Our Science Catalog

Star gazing is now in the realm of hobbyists, and it is lot of fun. Expensive equipment is not needed to learn the positions and names of the stars, constellations or to study the movements of the moon and planets. Amateur astronomy equipment is all that is required to launch a life time of fun watching the heavenly bodies. The tools you need are described next. These paraphernalia will get you started on a lifetime of fun watching the stars.
First, though, I will give an explanation of some of the general fields of study in the science of astronomy.
Astronomy is the general study of the celestial bodies in the universe, including planets and their satellites, comets, galaxies, stars, interstellar matter and everything else in between. The following are some of the more specialized fields making up the science of the sky.
Astrometry is the study of the observational positions and motions of celestial bodies.
Celestial mechanics is the mathematical study of the motion of celestial bodies as explained by the theory of gravitation developed by Sir Isaac Newton.
Astrophysics is the study of the chemical composition of celestial bodies using their spectrum analysis and the laws of physics as guidelines.
Cosmogony is the study of the universe as a whole.

Now for some of the items you will need to begin your hobby of star gazing. Planisphere
A planisphere is a tool used to help the amateur astronomer locate stars and planets. It consists of two discs - a lower disc which has the months and days printed on it, as well as a star chart containing the entire panorama of stars visible in the hemisphere it represents. The upper disc has a cutout, or clear area, which allows a small portion of the sky to show through. The lower disc is held stationary, and the upper disc rotates on it. To use the planisphere, match the time of day on the upper disc to the month and day on the lower disc, rotating the upper disc to the proper date. The clear area will then contain the portion of the sky visible at the time of day you set it for. You may use a wooden spring type clothespin or a bit of masking tape to hold the planisphere in place while you make your observations. The planisphere is then orientated to the direction you are facing, with the direction you are facing on the planisphere nearest you. The sky will then appear with the stars and constellations in the proper position on the planisphere. A flashlight with red plastic over the light will provide light in the darkness without unduly affecting your eyes night vision. The planisphere may also be used to predict the sunrise and sunset times.
Home planetariums and planispheres are very helpful and fun.
A home planetarium system consists of a base, the projector, and night sky projection discs. The projector is placed in a dark room, the controls aligned to the current date and time. The projector projects the night sky onto the room’s ceiling, allowing students to familiarize themselves with the night sky before actually going out amongst the stars. This is an advantage for city dwellers that may have to travel a distance into the country to get a sky dark enough for stargazing. Time may be spent at home studying star positions and familiarizing them so the most can be made from a field trip to a park, pasture, or field. Each of the projectors have similar operation, but also have some features unique to each one, so you will want to study the product descriptions to decide which one is suitable for your needs.
Solar system models will also be found within the page of astronomy products - Our Amazing Solar System, Amazing Planet Mobile, and the Astrolab Planetarium. The last product named is really two astronomical tools in one as it is a home planetarium and also includes a very nice model of the solar system. These products all contain much information about our solar system as well as models of the planets to be painted and assembled. You will want to read our detailed product descriptions to decide which one suits your requirements.
Astronomy books are invaluable for the beginning astronomer and will serve as reference materials for many years.